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I made Karen Barnaby's "Fresh Ginger Buttermilk" cake today. She's a local chef and cookbook author. I was so excited when I read this recipe last night b/c it had the elements I was looking for (buttermilk, a not-too-sweet ratio of brown sugar+ molasses to dry ingredients, and crystallized ginger.) I made a few changes to Karen's recipe. I increased the amount of fresh grated fresh ginger to 4 tbsp., and added the following:

(I will post the recipe later tonight but I have to go to work now! Sorry!)

The resulting cake was quite complex in flavour, and really delicious! Next time, I think I might throw in some extra crystallized ginger, and increase the cinnamon to 2 tsp. The buttermilk in the recipe gives the cake a very moist and tender crumb. The cakes rose evenly in the oven without doming. They would make an awesome gingerbread torte!

I inhaled most of the entire cake in like 15 minutes... I also defrosted a slice of David's 'Fresh Ginger' cake that I really like so I could taste them side-by-side, and I prefer Karen's version just by a little!

I had forgotten to mention that another thing that drew me to her recipe is that it contains whole wheat pastry flour, which imparts a subtle nuttiness to the cake. It also gives the cake a bit of a chewy texture!

***I also added 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. five-spice powder. I also increased the amount of fresh ginger to 4 tbsp. I also find the molasses flavour perhaps just a little bit too strong...so next time, I will cut it down to 3/4 cup molasses, and use 1/4 cup corn syrup to make up the difference.

Grease a 10 inch springform pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs into the mixture one at a time, and then add the molasses, and both the fresh and crystallized ginger. In a separate bowl, blend the flours, baking soda, salt, and dried ginger (and additional spices, if using) together, and add to the butter/sugar alternating with the buttermilk.

I made these ginger muffins last week, and I think they're the best muffins I've ever eaten, ever. I'm wondering how it would be as a loaf cake, probably just as good. The receipe is from Marion Cunningham's Breakfast Book:

Cut the unpeeled ginger into large chunks. If you have a food processor, process the ginger until it is in tiny pieces, or hand chop into fine pieces. (You should have 1/4 cup. It is better to have too much ginger, than too little) Put the ginger and 1/4 cup sugar in a small skillet or pan and cook the mixture over medium heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot. Don't walk away from the pan, this cooking takes only a couple minutes. Remove from the stove and let the ginger mixture cool.

Put the lemon zest and 3 Tbsp sugar in the food processor and process until the peel is in small bits; or chop by hand and then add sugar. Add the lemon mixture to the ginger mixture. Stir and set aside. Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat a second or two, add the Remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and mix until blended. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat until smooth. Add the ginger-lemon mixture and mix well.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins so that each cup is 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

I made these ginger muffins last week, and I think they're the best muffins I've ever eaten, ever. I'm wondering how it would be as a loaf cake, probably just as good. The receipe is from Marion Cunningham's Breakfast Book:

Cut the unpeeled ginger into large chunks. If you have a food processor, process the ginger until it is in tiny pieces, or hand chop into fine pieces. (You should have 1/4 cup. It is better to have too much ginger, than too little) Put the ginger and 1/4 cup sugar in a small skillet or pan and cook the mixture over medium heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot. Don't walk away from the pan, this cooking takes only a couple minutes. Remove from the stove and let the ginger mixture cool.

Put the lemon zest and 3 Tbsp sugar in the food processor and process until the peel is in small bits; or chop by hand and then add sugar. Add the lemon mixture to the ginger mixture. Stir and set aside. Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat a second or two, add the Remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and mix until blended. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat until smooth. Add the ginger-lemon mixture and mix well.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins so that each cup is 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

I have made these before, I love the heat of the fresh ginger. People kind of freak if they know you didn't peel the ginger first, just let them try them before you share the recipe.

This also appears in WS's series...I think it's the one on quick breads. I shall check.do try it though, it's really good.

Cakewalk, I read breathlessly to the end of this thread to see whether anyone was going to mention my (also) favorite muffin ever, and of course, this being eg, someone did! These are a bit of a pain to make first thing in the am, but so divine. She also gives a cake version in the same wonderful book, which I've made: changes are one extra tablespoon zest and only 1/4 tsp salt to make two 8" cakes. I made 1/2 the recipe for a 9" pan. Good but not as great as the muffins -- fault of the pan? She suggests serving with lightly sweetened with chopped candied ginger and mango slices.

I used 2% yogurt in place of the buttermilk, otherwise I followed the recipe as given. I was lazy, & didn't want to dirty the food processor just to chop the ginger, so I chopped it very finely by hand. By doing that, I found that the 2 ounces called for in the recipe actually measured more like 1/3- 1/2 cup, rather than the 1/4 cup as mentioned. Just the right amount of ginger as far as we were concerned!

Hello guys, I've been lurking in this thread for a while now, and finally got the courage to join all of you. Those cakes just looks heavenly! Ling's gingercakes look fabulous even in the pan. so I've decided to join y'all and bought my ingredients earlier, and most likely find my way in the kitchen later after my lunchdate(how cheesy huh...a date at daytime....oh well lol). but i will get ready for it now...and i will update you guys arond 3 pm Chicago time. see y'all laters.

...a little bit of this, and a little bit of that....*slurp......^_^.....ehh I think more fish sauce.

Cakewalk, I tried baking the Fresh Ginger muffins today, with about 1/3 cup of freshly ground ginger. Fresh out of the oven, I didn't find the ginger flavour to be as strong as I expected, but anyway the muffin tasted good. However, a half hour later, my throat is still a little warm from the "ginger glow" that it's left behind

Anyway I would like to put a crunchy topping onto this - what would you suggest... a streusel-type topping with some fresh ground ginger and spices added, or maybe just ground ginger mixed with coarse demerera sugar?

Cakewalk, I tried baking the Fresh Ginger muffins today, with about 1/3 cup of freshly ground ginger. Fresh out of the oven, I didn't find the ginger flavour to be as strong as I expected, but anyway the muffin tasted good. However, a half hour later, my throat is still a little warm from the "ginger glow" that it's left behind

Anyway I would like to put a crunchy topping onto this - what would you suggest... a streusel-type topping with some fresh ground ginger and spices added, or maybe just ground ginger mixed with coarse demerera sugar?

Mmmmm, a ginger streusel topping, that does sound nice. Making up recipes in not my forte ( ) but I think I'd try something with a combination of crystalized ginger and powdered ginger. And brown sugar and flour and some butter. And maybe just a bit of finely grated lemon rind. Would some finely chopped walnuts be overkill? If it had a topping like this, do you think the recipe would need a bit more of a rising agent? (Have I just killed the recipe?)

Location:Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, where it is beautiful one day, perfect the next.

Posted 01 August 2006 - 03:50 AM

For those of you who love ginger, and want something different, there is a very old English recipe for "Grasmere Gingerbread" which is a very firm almost shortbready texture. Here is the recipe I have been making for a long time.

Mix the flour, soda, cream tartar, ginger, rub in the butter, add the brown sugar and syrup. Press it into an 8 inch tin, bake at about 325 degrees for 45 minutes or so. cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges.

I guess the bicarb and cream of tartar could be replaced with baking powder.

Grasmere is in the Lake District, where Wordsworth wrote about the golden daffodils. He and his sister Dorothy lived there for years, and they were obviously very fond of the local gingerbread, as Dorothy mentions it quite often in her diary. - Mentioned in case you feel poetic about your gingerbread efforts!

Fantastic.

Then there is Yorkshire Parkin - which has oatmeal and treacle with ginger.

Fantastic.

Happy Feasting

Janet (a.k.a The Old Foodie)

My Blog "The Old Foodie" gives you a short food history story each weekday day, always with a historic recipe, and sometimes a historic menu.

I made the "fresh gingercake" today. Oh my god. It is awesome. Even my ginger disliking boyfriend likes the cake. I halved the recipe, and subbed 1 tbsp of corn syrup for 1 tbsp of molasses as I didn't want the molasses to overpower the ginger. Baked for 43 minutes in a 7" springform and it smelled so nice! Almost half the cake is gone...

Gingerbread is one of my favorites . . . I think the most successful dessert I ever made came after a spectacular standing rib roast and included gingercake, a bittersweet chocolate mousse and date cookies. Accompanied by both plain and cinnamon whipped cream.

My two favorite ginger recipes are for:

Gingerbread Tileshttp://www.estarcion...ves/001633.htmlI made these as a present for a friend who'd given me a springerle rolling pin. I want to try them again this year with a spekulaas mold. The glaze gives a snowy look to the finished product. I think you could probably make men with these, too, but the texture is sort of cookie, sort of cakey. The men would probably blob up.

The cake recipe calls for fresh ginger cooked in melted butter and powdered mustard. I can't remember where I got it, I can post it if you're interested. Some folks don't care for it as it has a bite, I love it. I use Steen's syrup instead of molasses.

I would especially like to know how it stacks up against Julia's recipe.

Has anyone tried the triple ginger cookies at Trader Joe's? I'm thinking the triple ginger (powder, fresh, candied) is probably the way to go.

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.